Loading barges onto ships using drydocks



Sept. 3, 1968 (5. .w. CHESTER 3,399,792

LOADING BARGES ONTO SHIPS USING DRYDOCKS Filed April 10, 1967 Fig. I.

INVENTOR.

George W. Chester flrg ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,399,792 LOADING BARGES ONTO SHIPS USING DRYDOCKS George W. Chester, 19 Titus Ave., Carle Place, N.Y. 11514 Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,596 Claims. (Cl. 214-152) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure teaches a method for moving conventional cargo containers via ships. Containers are first loaded onto barges. A drydock is raised under the barges to support them above water. Then a ship is floated into the drydock and the drydock is lowered to sit the barges on the ship. Off loading is accomplished by the converse of this method. While on barges the containers may be moved to dock facilities, where the containers can be handled by ordinary stevedoring techniques.

Cross references The present application for Letters Patent is original.

Description Novel features and advantages of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation view (in section) of a ship and drydock with a barge mounted on the ship. The barge has shipping containers mounted thereon and arranged longitudinally relative the ship.

FIGURE II depicts the barge raised oil? the ship by emersion of the drydock.

FIGURE III illustrates a ship loaded according to this invention.

It is a primary objective of this invention to accommodate unitized shipping containers to avoid pilferage as well as to reduce breakage and spoilage in the handling of cargos. Containers 1 are of conventional design and suitable for mounting on such conveyances as railroad flatcars and/or truck trailers. These containers are loaded onto barges 2 by well known stevedoring techniques. Straps may be provided to gird container groups so that motion is eliminated. Barges 2 could also be organized to carry bulk or break-bulk cargo. It is expected that each barge 2 would have a capacity in the order of one hundred thousand tons.

A drydock serves to raise barges 2 above ship 3. Drydock 4 includes well known tanks and pumping arrangements (not shown) to control emergence and submergence. Vertical walls 6 and abutments 7 are aligned to receive extensions 8 of barges 2 so that barges 2 may be lifted above the water.

Ship 3 is loaded by submerging drydock 4 to seat barges 2 thereon. Ship 3 is preferably flat decked with cradles 9 arranged to seat barges 2. superstructure 11 of ship 3 (as best seen in FIGURE III) should be confined to one "Ice end (either fore or aft) so that ship 3 can be moved endwise into drydock 4 to clear under barges 2 mounted thereon. Drydock 4 is then submerged leaving barges 2 seated in cradles 9. Suitable hold-down means (not shown) could also be furnished to restrain barges 2 from lifting off cradles 9.

The unloading operation is the converse of the above described loading operation. At the terminus of the shipment a drydock 4 is submerged. Ship 3 is moved endwise into the submerged drydock. Drydock 4 is then emerged so that abutments 7 lift barges 2 off ship 3 by means of lifting extensions 8 at both ends of each barge 2. Ship 3 is Withdrawn from drydock 4. Drydock 4 is then submerged so that barges 2 can float freely to conventional dock facilities.

It will be apparent to those skilled in stevedoring and naval architecture that wide deviations may be made from the proposed method without departing from the theme of invention set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method for loading a barge onto a ship and comprising the steps of:

locating a drydock under the barge,

raising the drydock to position the barge above water,

moving the ship into the drydock under the barge and lowering the drydock to set the barge onto the ship.

2. A method for loading containers onto a ship and comprising the steps of:

loading the containers onto at least one barge,

locating a drydock under the barge,

raising the drydock to position the barge above water,

moving the ship into the drydock under the barge and lowering the drydock to set the barge onto the ship.

3. A method for loading containers onto a ship and comprising the steps of:

loading the containers onto at least one barge having lifting extensions projecting from both its ends, locating a drydock with members under the lifting extensions,

raising the drydock to position the barge above water,

moving a ship into the drydock under the barge and lowering the drydock to sit the barge onto the ship.

4. The method of claim 3 and providing the ship with at least one upward-opening cradle so that the barge may be seated therein.

5. The method of claim 3 and fashioning the ship with a relatively low projection above water at one of its ends whereby the ship can clear endwise into the drydock under the barge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1945 Bylo 2l4-12 6/1964 Bylo 214-12 

